Quarrels may do more harms to kids than divorce

BEIJING, June 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Frequent quarrels between parents could do more psychological harms to children than divorce, experts warned.

A recent survey of 855 students in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, proved this, the China Daily website said Wednesday.

Some 855 primary and secondary school students in Harbin were surveyed. The results showed that, in families that parents argue frequently, the probability that children encountering psychological problems was 31.68%, in the divorced families and normal ones, however, the probabilities were 30.3% cent and 18.88% respectively.

"Some parents claim that the reason why they do not divorce is for the sake of their children, yet by having 'at wars' everyday at home, the harm to the children may be more severe," said Wang Limin, professor of Harbin Medical University's Psychology Deparement and person in charge of the survey.

It is the parents' basic responsibility to provide a feeling of security to their children, invective and personal attacks between parents can make irreparable, negative impacts to children's mental health.

Wang said children growing up in such environments are more prone to having interpersonal problems, anxiety, paranoia, lack of confidence concerning their future, especially towards marriage. Some children even revealed that they "will not get married in order not to follow the footsteps of their parents."

Wang suggests that parents consider the children's feeling and stay calm whenever a problem arises, or they can ask the children to leave for a while, in case they find it "necessary to have a quarrel."